Christmas in the Heart

When I first saw this greeting stamp set, I knew I needed to get it. I just love the sentiment.

Colors: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla.  Stamps: Heart of Christmas.  Big Shot: Heart and Apothecary Accents Collection Framelits, Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler Co'ordination Cardstock, Regals Collection Designer Series Paper Print Pack, metal brads.

Here I used the Co'ordination card stock and sanding block from the Holiday Catalog.  I ran it through the Big Shot with the embossing and then used the sanding block to take the top layer off the card stock to reveal a softer version of the same color underneath.  I heard from a little birdie that we are going to have new colors of this fun card stock in the next seasonal catalog in January.  Stay tuned for more details about all the fun things coming in that catalog soon.

Oh, Christmas Tree

I have another Christmas Card to share today.  This one features one of the hidden gems from the Holiday Catalog: Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Stack.  This wasn't on my list the first few times through the catalog.  But I finally bought one and then I had to buy another one because I love it so much.

Colors: Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla. Stamps: Christmas Lodge.  Big Shot: Apothecary Accents Collection Framelits.  Punches: 1" Square.  Accessories: Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Pack, and Pearl  Jewels.

The packs come with 48 sheets of 4-1/2" x 6-1/2" double-sided papers.  These are prefect for cutting in half and putting on a card with a nice mat around it.

One of the other things I wanted to point out about this card is the Christmas Tree.  This tree is from the Christmas Lodge Stamp Set.  It is my favorite image in the stamp set.  Did you know you can buy just this Tree image individually for just $7.95?  It is just one of about 30 stamps that are available individually.  If you go to my online store, you can see them all.

Today is also the last day to take advantage of the Online Extravaganza sale.  Included in the sale is the 1" square punch that I used to notch the ends of the banners on the card. It is just one of almost 40 items that are 20-50% off until Midnight tonight.

Sparkly Snow

The Christmas season is now in full swing.  And while I am usually a holiday ahead, right now, I still have several more Christmas projects to share. 

Colors: Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, & Very Vanilla.  Stamps: Greetings of the Season.  Big Shot: Snow Flurry Big Shot Die.  Punches: Scallop Border.  Accessories: Champagne and Silver Glimmer Paper, Soft Suede Taffeta Ribbon.  

It was hard to capture just how pretty and sparkly this card is in real life.  I had a few people come to my class that just had to make a few of these after they saw it in person.  The Stampin' Up! Glimmer Paper is just gorgeous and really adds the bling to any project.

Don't forget, the Online Extravaganza continues through November 28.  I haven't featured a My Digital Studio project in a few weeks, but you all know how much I love it and right now MDS2 is 50% off.  And it is just one of about 40 different products that are 20-50% off right now.  One of the items on sale is the Scallop Edge Border Punch that is featured on this card. It is 30% off and now only $11.17. Head on over to my store to check it out!

Two Tags Mini Candy Bar Holder

My class was a week ago, but I still have lots of projects to share with you.  Today, it's the cute little Two-Tags Mini Candy Bar Holder:

Colors: Garden Green, Real Red and Whisper White. Stamps: Jolly Bingo Bits and Tiny Tags.  Big Shot: Two-Tags Bigz Die. Punches: 1-3/4" Scallop, 1-3/8", 1-1/4", and 1" Circles.  Accessories: Polka Dot Parade and Real Red 1/4"Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon.

These cute little treats were inspired by something Becky Roberts shared on her blog several months ago.  To make them, cut two of the scallop-topped tags with the Two-Tags Die.  Score each of them 1/4" from the bottom of the tag and then one of them at the bottom of the scallop.  Using sticky strip, adhere the bottom tabs together to make on long tag.  Fold along the score lines, insert a small candy bar and tie a ribbon around to hold it together.  Decorate as you please. These would be perfect for any holiday or occasion and are so easy to put together.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you haven't blown your entire wad on this Black Friday.  Don't forget that Stampin' Up! has it's own sale going on right now.  Head on over to my online store to shop it now!

Cocoa Packet Holder

These cute cocoa packet holders were a big hit at my class last week and they are so easy to make!

Colors: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla.  Stamps: Scentsational Season and Teeny Tiny Wishes.  Big Shot: Holiday Collection Framelits, Striped Textured Impression Embossing Folder.  Punches: 2-1/2" Circle Scallop Border and Word Window.  Accessories: Be of Good Cheer, Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon.

The inspiration for these came from an idea that I saw using the Fancy Favor die.  But I found the cocoa packets were too wide.  So I came up with my own pattern for the base:

I cut a piece of card stock 8-1/2" by 4".  I scored it the long way at 2" and 6" and then turned it and scored it at 1/2".  I cut the little gray squares away and then assembled the pocket using sticky strip.  Then I ran it through the Big Shot with the Striped Embossing Folder and decorated it with a belly band and the Scentsational Season Bundle.

For the pullout piece, I cut a piece of 11 by 3-3/4" and scored it in half at 5-1/2". I stamped it with the snowflake stamps and then wrapped it around the cocoa packet.  Finally, I punched a hole through both pieces and add the ribbon to the top.

Thanksgiving really is one of my favorite holidays of the year and I am looking forward to spending it with my parents and other family members this year for the first time in a few years.  One of the things I am most thankful for right now is my Stampin' Up! Business.  We've had a few ups and downs in my family the past couple of months and my little business is one of the things that has kept me going. Thanks for your support and for your friendship!  I hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving together.

Online Extravaganza -- Big Shot Door Busters!

 

It is here!!  Stampin' Up's annual Online Extravaganza runs now until November 28 with select items marked down  20-50% off.  And to make the deal even sweeter, they are kicking off the sale with a 24-hour "Doorbuster" sale on  three items, Monday, November 19 only: 

• Big Shot Die-Cut Machine only $79.96 (regularly $99.95)
• Big Shot Doctor's Bag only $55.96 (regularly $69.95)
• Simply Scored Diagonal Plate only $9.56 (regularly $11.95)

To see the other sale item, visit the online store by clicking the "shop now" button or the picture above, or you can get a PDF file of all sale items (including catalog page numbers) by clicking here.  If you are a regular here, than you already know how much I love MDS2 and it is marked 50% off during the sale!!

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Big Shot?  I have owned lots of die cut machines of all shapes and sizes.  But the one I use almost every time I do any kind of crafting is my Big Shot.  And this sale is the first time Stampin' Up! has marked it down for customers to purchase so it is a great time to take the Big Shot plunge.  Already own a Big Shot?  They make wonderful Christmas Presents for the crafter on your list.

And In honor of the one day sale on the Big Shot, I am sharing this project from this past weekend's Christmas Stampin' Buffet that uses that blessed little machine that I love so much:

Colors: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla.  Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes.  Big shot: Scallop Circle Bigz Die, 3-1/2" Circle Originals, Holiday Ornaments Framelit Collection, Lacy Brocade Textured Embossing Folder.  Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Scalloped Tulle Ribbon, 1/8" Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, and Pearl Jewels. 

This ornament was inspired by a similar one created by Jamie Hurley at Unique Ink. And of course, I saw it on Pinterest. To make the ornament three-dimensional, I stamped it three times on Very Vanilla and cut them out with the matching framelits.  Love that they match up exactly so there is no need to hand cut these cuties.  Then I scored them in the middle and glued them together.  And I know I gush a lot about things, but this Scalloped Tulle Ribbon is so fun!  It is fairly easy to tie and is perfect for adding a little something special to your projects.  It is hard to tell from this picture, but I spritzed the entire thing with a combination of Shimmer Paint and Rubbing Alcohol in one of our newish Stampin' Spritzers (which just happen to also be on sale right now).

So what are you waiting for?  Head on over to my online store and take advantage of these great deals!

Sassy Polar Party

At the end of October, Stampin'  Up! had a great sale on stamps. It was so fun to make a big dent in my wish list.  And one of those stamp sets was Sassy Salutations. It is such a fun, lively greeting set and lives up to it's sassy name.  Here I paired it with another fun stamp set: Polar Party:

Colors: Raspberry Ripple, Gumball Green, Whisper White, Basic Black, More Mustard and Sahara Sand.  Stamps: Sassy Salutations and Polar Party.  Big Shot: Large Scallop Edgelit.  Accessories: Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Dazzling Details.

I think this little penguin is so adorable and looks like he is dancing around and ready to celebrate a very Merry Christmas.  I picked these colors because I managed to get a lot of this ribbon during the special in September.  It is so soft and easy to tie.  I just love it.  And I know it's still over a month to Christmas, but it is not to early to get your Holiday cards made. So get busy!

Also, be on the look out for the Online Extravaganza.  This is a 10 day sale to kick of the holiday season with some of your favorites marked down 20-50%.  The sale kicks of Monday with 24-hour doorbusters including a one day sale on the Big Shot!   I will have all the details here starting Monday at midnight so come back then!

Stampin' Up! is Oozing with News!

What is the next big thing coming out of Stampin' Up!  How about several new things?  And I just can't decide what I am most excited about.

I know I have a few customers out there that love the Big Shot Textured Impressions Embossing Folders but have an electronic die cut machine already so they don't want to buy a Big Shot.  For a limited time and only while supplies last, Stampin' Up! is offering the Sizzix Textured Boutique Embossing Machine to test the waters.

The Texture Boutique works with Textured Impressions Embossing Folders to transform ordinary cardstock, paper, metallic foil, or vellum into an embossed, textured masterpiece. This machine embosses only; it does not die cut. Want to see it in action?

You have two options when purchasing the machine: a bundle that includes the machine and two Textured Impressions Embossing Folders (Flower Garden and Stripes) for $39.95; or you can just get the machine by itself for $29.95.  It would make a wonderful gift for this holiday season, but you don't want to wait too long.  Stampin' Up! only has a limited number of these available.  Contact me today if you would like to get one before they are GONE!

What else does Stampin' Up! have up it's sleeve?  How about cards that talk?

With Talking Tag, you can send a gift that is uniquely you. Talking Tag is a message label you can attach to cards, invitations, gifts . . . anything! Personalize birthday cards, Christmas gifts or even record quick instructions for a project. Now your pictures really can say a thousand words! These come in packs of 10 and are $7.95.

Still more?  Of course!  Stampin' Up! just launched it's first app for iPhones, iPods, and iPads called Simply Sent.  It's a fun new app that allows you to send personalized greetings to your friends phones, emails or other social media.  Now the sad part for me, I only have a dumb phone so I can't play with this app.  (I hope my husband is reading this since I have a birthday and Christmas coming up!  Hint! Hint!)  But my wonderful friend Missi sent me something that she put together in less than a minute this morning:

How fun is that?  Instant birthday, thank you or just because greetings sent right to your friend to make them smile.  So head on over to the iTunes App Store and do a quick search for Simply Sent.  The best part, it is FREE!!!

And not to sound like a informercial, but there is still more! Starting next Monday, Stampin' Up! is once again having it's ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA with savings up to 50% and 24-hour only doorbusters.  You will want to check back here or on my Facebook page on Monday for all the details!

Petal Cone Santa

I  knew I was going to have to offer these at a class because it turns out that I pinned it multiple times from multiple sources to on Pinterest.

Colors: Riding Hood Red, Whisper White and Garden Green, Basic Black.  Big Shot: Petal Cone L Bigz Die, Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder.  Punches: 1-1/4 and 1-3/4 Scallop Circle, Large and Scallop Oval, Cupcake and Owl, Word Window, Small Circle from Itty Bitty Shape Pack. Accessories: Sliver Glimmer Paper, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details.

I think I traced the origin of this box to Mary at Mary's Craft Room.  I don't get nearly enough use out of this petal-cone die so I love when I find new uses for it. Pretty sure I will be making more of these for teacher and special friend gifts this holiday season.

To make the tiny holly for Santa's hat brim, I started with the Word Window punch and then took notches out of it with the small circle punch from Itty Bitty Shapes.  It might seem hard to believe that it started out that long, but it did. :)

Scentsational Season Cards

When I first saw the Holiday Mini Catalog, I admit, I wasn't very excited about the Scentsational Season Bundle.  However, it was included in the preview bundle that Sr. Supervisors could purchase at an additional discount.  And you know I can't resist a good discount.  And I'm so glad that I bought it because I have loved using it.  And I love that these cute, simple shapes don't have to be cut out because they have matching framelits.

Today I am featuring two cards made with this set:

Colors: Whisper White and Real Red.  Stamps: Snowflake Soiree and Scentsational Season. Big Shot: Windows and Holiday Collections Framlits and Polka Dot Embossing Folder.  Accessories: Bright Glitter Brads, Polka Dot Parade Designer Series Paper, Whisper White Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Festive Paper-Piercing Pack.

This card was CASed from a card by Jennifer Weide at SunflowerStamper.  When I saw her card, I knew I wanted to make something similar, if for no other reason than I have a ton of that Red Polka Dot paper left after my Halloween Class. I added an extra candy cane to it and changed up the greeting (I just love that Merry stamps).  And since I also have a ton of Real Red Glimmer Brads left over from my Halloween Class as well (I used the other colors that come in the pack) I added them too.  To make the card more mailable, you could leave them off too.  I originally embossed these with the peppermint embossing powder but they have discontinued it due to quality issues.

Colors: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla.  Stamps: Greetings of the Season and Scentsational Season.  Big Shot: Labels and Holiday Collection Framelits, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz.  Accessories: Festive Paper-Piercing Pack, Sugar and Spice Embossing Powder, Rhinestone Jewels, Be of Good Cheer Designer Series Paper. 

I was also trying to make this card mailable so I didn't want to add too much dimension to it.  But I did emboss it with the Sugar and Spice Embossing Powder.  It made my craft room smell so yummy!  This little gingerbread man is just so adorable.

These are just two of the cards available at my Christmas Stampin' Buffet this weekend.  The last day to RSVP is tomorrow (Tuesday, November 13) so let me know you are coming ASAP!

Christmas Frame Insert

These frame inserts have been a fun way to mark different seasons this year. So of course I had to make a Christmas-themed one. 

Colors: Very Vanilla, Gumball Green, and Cherry Cobbler. Stamps: Snowflake Soiree.  Big Shot: Window Collection Framelits; Typeset Alphabet Bigz, Snow Flurry Bigz.  Punches: Decorative Label Punch, 1-3/4" Circle, X-Large Oval, Large Oval, Butterfly, Cupcake, and Owl.  Accessories: Be of Good Cheer Designer Series Paper, Silver Glimmer Paper, & Rhinestone Jewels, White Gel Pen.

I love the look of punch art but I just don't do it enough.  I found inspiration for this Santa by looking at several other punch art Santas on Pintrest.  My original addition to it was to use the top of the butterfly punch for the mustache.  Others had used the wing from bird punch to make it, but I don't have that punch so I improvised. 

This is just one of the projects you can make at my Christmas Stampin' Buffet on November 16 or 17.  It is $6.  I am currently not offering it as a kit because I am doing a bit of traveling over Thanksgiving and I am not sure I'll be able to get them shipped in time.  But if there is a demand for them, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

And as promised (drum roll please . . .) the winner of the One Big Sale-Bration CD  full of MDS content is NANC.  So Nanc, please email me your mailing address (paulastamps@gmail.com) and I will get it right out to you!

Christmas Printer's Tray

So I lied, just a little bit about not featuring MDS projects on my blog for the next little bit because I actually did use MDS to design today's project.  But it is not Monday, so it was only a small fib.

Colors: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla.  Digital Stamp Brushes: Jolly Jingles, Chock Full of Cheer, Wishes and Greetings.  Digital Kit: Be of Good Cheer.  Other: Glitter Paper, Glitter Brads, Designer Buttons, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Rhinestone Jewels, Linen Thread.

Because I recruited during the Spook-tacular promotion, I had the opportunity to get my hands on a few more of these trays.  So I am offering this as one of my projects at my Christmas Stampin' Buffet on November 16 & 17.  However, I only have 5 trays, so if you want to make one, sign up for this class today! 

MDS Monday: Blog Hop Follow up

I hope you enjoyed the Stampin' Addict's MDS Blog Hop this weekend.  I loved some of the out-of-box ways to use My Digital Studio.  If you missed it, all the sites are deep linked together so you can still see the five sites, just start here.  And if you've come back because I promised a GIVEAWAY, stay tuned!

My blog hop projects showcased the custom-size feature.  I showed how to do this on an MDS Monday in August with screen shots so I'm not going to go into detail about that today.  But I will tell you a little more about each project.

12"x16" Custom Size Project.  Digital Stamp Brushes: You're a Gem, Creative Elements and Pedaling Past.

The only thing that I did a little different on this one was the flourish around the "Key to my Heart" title.  I used the frame from Creative Elements and used the crop stamp feature to select just the left flourishy end of  frame.  Then I copied, pasted and mirrored it to give me the other end (three clicks was easier for me than inserting the stamp and cropping it again to get the right side, but you could do that as an alternative as well.  The rest of the project is fairly self explanatory.  I just uploaded it to the photo center at my local warehouse store and in 5-7 business days, I went and picked up the canvas.

 7"x10" Custom Size project.  Digital Stamp Brushes: Creative Elements, Frames with a Flourish and Elements of Style.  Non Digital Stampin' Up!: Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Antique Brads, Rhinestones. Other: Glossy Decopage Medium, Black Paint and Wood Block.

But my second project does have a story.  I actually first saw pictures of Temples adhered to wood block on pinterest.  I liked the idea and thought it would be fun to make some for Christmas gifts this year.  So when I was at the wood shop buying the owls and witches hat, I also picked up three 5"x7" wood blocks.  But there, they also had family pictures on the wood blocks and the ideas starting churning.  So the big DUH question is: WHY THE HECK DID I NOT BUY MORE BLOCKS? And not just 5"x7" but 8"x10" and 4"x6" too.

I kept thinking I'd get back to the store to buy more of these but with the store being about 30 miles away and gas being $3.80 for my SUV, I just couldn't justify the trip down there for a $3 piece of wood. In the mean time, I designed this 8"x10" to go on the wood and had it printed at a photo center:

Then I had the idea to go to my local hardware/lumber store to buy a wood board. I heard they would cut the wood for me if I asked nicely and paid for it of course.  I found one marked 2"x8" by 8 feet.  So I had it cut into 10" pieces and brought it home.  But this is where I probably should have asked for advice from my wood-working-hobbiest Father.  I had no idea that a 2"x8" is not even close to 8".  It is actually 7". The print I made did not fit the wood and I couldn't just cut an inch off because I didn't leave any wiggle room to trim it.  So I did have to recreate a print that was 7"x10" at the last minute to make this all work. (I might have been able to print at home, but I was a little concerned about applying anything over the top of a home-printed photo.)

To finish the block, I sanded it (and since you know I hate sanding, I cheated and broke out my finishing sander.  It might have been a bit of an over kill, but it worked and it saved my carpal tunnel).   I painted it black with regular acrylic craft paint and then used Glossy Mod Podge to adhere the photo to the wood.  I then applied two layers of Mod Podge to the top (allowing it to dry in between): one with the brush strokes running horizontally and the other with them running vertically.  This gave it a bit more of a "canvas" texture.  Next, I sprayed it with a sealer so that it would lose that "tacky" feeling you some times get with Mod Podge.  Finally, I added the ribbon and brads.  I thought about some other things, but they were all retired and I didn't want to feature anything on the blog hop that wasn't current.

I actually made three more of these featuring another photo for another Christmas present but I can't show you those yet since I want it to be a surprise.  But I will show them after they are received.

Now the reward for coming back today and sticking with me through this rambling post: THE GIVEAWAY!  I have a  One Big Sale-a-bration MDS Content CD to give away to one lucky blog reader.  Here is how to enter.  First of all, you must have a United States mailing address and be a google follower of my blog OR my facebook page.  So if you aren't already, click on the links on the left and become one.  Second, leave a comment here in the comment section.  (My blog allows for anonymous comments, but you have to leave an email or someway for me to get hold of you if you win).  Everyone who does that will get an entry.  To get additional entries, visit my online store and download the free downloads available for Digital Scrapbook Week, and/or your 30-day free trial of MDS2.  But hurry, because today is the last day for the free downloads.  (The 30-day trial offer is ongoing). Remember, you can use these downloads and the CD of content in other digital scrapbooking programs (even PhotoShop).  I will announce the winner on Friday this week so come back then.

One more note, I am going to discontinue MDS Monday as a regular weekly-feature on my blog.  I will continue to do the occasional MDS Monday post, but I am so far behind on my regular stamping projects to share, I want to focus on those as I prepare for my upcoming Christmas Stampin' Buffet and other holiday crafting.

Stampin' Addicts MDS2 Blog Hop

Welcome to stop number three on the Stampin' Addicts MDS2 Blog Hop.  If you are hopping in order than you just came from Yapha Mason's blog. Designing in spreads is one of my favorite new features.  If this is your first stop on the hop, don't worry.  All the blogs are linked together in a circle so you won't miss a thing. If you get lost or want to chat about what you've seen, head on over to  Stampin' Addicts.

I get to show you how I used the custom-size feature on some fun projects.  And since Christmas is right around the corner, I thought I'd give you some ideas on how to use the custom-size feature to make some gifts for someone you love.  And if you come back next Monday, I'll share with you more details about how to make the projects I'm sharing with you.

Are you wondering why you would ever need to do a custom size when Stampin' Up! has a wide variety of print products to choose from?  Those size and projects are great for cards, albums and scrapbook pages.  But with custom-sizes, a whole world of possibilities opens up to you.

For my first project, I had a little help from my favorite warehouse store.  Several professional print shops are now offering a print on canvas feature.  I have been looking for some "art" to go on the wall in my dining room.  With MDS2 I was able to customize a 12x16 layout and then upload it to this photo center to get my very own piece of canvas art.  First what I designed in MDS2:

I just picked it up from the photo center yesterday and I just love the way it turned out (the picture turned out a little warmer than it really is, but you get the idea):

I knew my in laws would love to have this same picture of my boys, but I didn't just want to give it to them in a boring frame (and no way was a parting with my canvas. I love it too much!).  So my second project was inspired by something I saw at a craft store about six weeks ago. Unfortunately, the store is about 30 miles from my house and I just haven't made it back, so I did what all good crafters do: I improvised!  (Come back on Monday to hear all about that improvisation).   To start with, I needed a 7"x10" photo (another improvise because I thought I really needed a 8"x10" photo).  This is what I came up with in MDS2:

You can see it is pretty similar to the one above.  I let my husband pick out the words to go on it since they are his parents and changed up the flourishes and accents.  And I wanted the picture to be black and white.  I sent it off to a local one hour print shop.  Then I went to work prepping a piece of wood to mount the picture too.  (I promise there is a great story behind the wood, but again, you'll have to come back on Monday to read all about it).  After I adhered it to the wood and applied the finish to it, I took some ribbon and other embellishment and my mixed media/hybrid project turned out like this:

So let your imagination run wild with the custom sizes.  I was surprised how easy it was to work on the larger projects, especially with the SVG digital stamp files in MDS2.

If you haven't already decided to come back on Monday, how about I sweeten the pot?  Come back on Monday for your chance to win an MDS Content CD from last year's Sale-A-Bration.  If you are new to MDS, these are files you won't have already.  And don't forget to take advantage of the free downloads Stampin' Up! is offering through Monday as well!

And now you are off to the next stop, Heidi's Runningwscissorsstamper blog to get a fresh look at converting templates.  Enjoy!

Digital Scrapbooking Week Continues

Happy November.  I think November might be my favorite month of the year.  I love that the hot weather is over and we usually don't get a lot of snow in November either.  (Knock on wood!) And we get to celebrate all that we are thankful for this time of year too.  Love that part of November.

Today's post features another Digital Kit that is 50% off though next Monday, November 5.  It's called Bandstand and it is based on the Simply Scrappin' Kit by the same name in the main catalog.  I love the bright fun colors in it.  And it has chevron paper and embellishments which are so hot right now.  Here is the page I made with it:

Colors: Pool Party, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, So Saffron and Whisper White. All elements from the Bandstand Digital Kit except flag punch.

 I always forget that a white background does not work well on my blog.  You'll just have to pretend you can tell where the edges of the page are. I started out using as sketch from Susan Stringfellow at Sketch Savvy for this page, but I changed it so much I don't know that I could really say it is from that at all.  I love these pictures because they are from one of the highlights of our summer: our "family" reunion with our friends that we knew when we were first married and living in apartments.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the Stampin' Addicts MDS2 Blog Hop.  We are a smaller group this time, but the six that are participating are fabulous.  You won't want to miss it.  But in the mean time, I have to go get some wood putty and paint to finish up my projects.